Letter: In appointing Tremblay, Charlestown Town Council threw transparency to the wind

Letter: In appointing Tremblay, Charlestown Town Council threw transparency to the wind

February 26, 2018 08:26PM

When is the Charlestown Citizens Alliance-controlled Charlestown Town Council going to stop making decisions in secret prior to public meetings? Their actions are not those of people that support open and transparent government.

The latest example of their lack of transparency occurred at the meeting on Feb. 12, when it came time for the council to fill the vacancy on the town council.

Nine people spoke in favor of appointing Robert Malin to fill the vacancy. Mr. Malin was the next-highest vote-getter in the 2016 election. The council ignored those nine people and instead followed their predetermined script. After their fellow Charlestown Citizens Alliance buddy approached the podium and stated George Tremblay should be appointed, they dutifully agreed, and Mr. Tremblay was appointed.

Unless it had been decided beforehand, there's no way that four people could be so prepared to support this one man, complete with his resume, when there had been absolutely no public discussion or mention of his name prior to his appointment. How is it that four people independently, without prior consultation, only considered this one man to fill the vacancy?

I think we all know how. It had already been decided secretly prior to the public meeting. This is not open and transparent government.